Game-counter.



PATBNTED MAY 2, 1905.

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GAME COUNTER.

APPLIGATION FILED DEG.15, 1904.

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Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS F. LANG, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,779, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed December 15, 1904. Serial No. 237,034.

To all 1117mm, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS F. LANG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Sutfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game-Counters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to game-counters.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to indicate to the user his changing score in a game by mechanically performing additions or subtractions Without the necessity of any mental calculations whatever.

My invention further provides a counter convenient and easy to manipulate, adaptable to the scoring of games of all kinds wherein the addition or subtraction of sums or points to or from a previous score is required and suitable for a great variety of similar uses.

Other features will hereinafter be pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of a game-counter, and Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof.

The counter herein desoribed,while suitable for use in a large number of games, is peculiarly adapted for use in the game of cards known as pinochlef and as its use in that connection is sufficiently characteristic 1 will address my description thereto.

A represents a board or tablet which constitutes the body or fixed part of the article. Mounted on the tablet A is the slide B, which is readily movable longitudinally upon the tablet and may be held and guided in any suitable way, such as by the grooves or tongues a a and 6 Z). Arranged on the tablet adjacent to the slide B is a scale of characters of quantitative significance for counting or scoring in the manner presently to be described. As herein shown, the characters consist of numerals in ascending series from 0 up to 500 at intervals of twenty. These numerals are opposite and appropriate to divisionmarks upon the edge of the tablet next to the slide. The division-marks are equidistant from one another and are adapted to reckon a count at intervals of ten, there being one such mark between each of the marks opposite the numerals, or, if desired, a numeral may be used to designate each of the divisionmarks.

The slide B is provided with a scale having like division-marks and a column of characters arranged in like series. The divisionmarks register with the division-marks on the tablet. The series of numerals may, if desired, go through the whole gamut corresponding with the series on the tablet or may, as herein shown, be like in series, but smaller in extent.

Upon the tablet, on the same side of theslide with the scale,are arranged three rows of holes, which serve as marker-holders. The markers may be pegs adapted to fit the holes. The number of columns is immaterial. It is desirable, however, to have as many columns as it is expected there will be players. At the top of each of said rows is inscribed the word Tens. The tens-columns are indicated at O. Beside each of the tens-rows is a unitsrow, (indicated at O'.) There need be but ten of the units-holes, since when the counting exceeds ten one of the tens-holes may be used. Each pair of columns of marker-holders, consisting of a tens-row and a units-row, belongs to one player. Suitable characters, such as the capital letters A, l3, and O, shown at the top of the rows of holes, indicate players. On the other side ot the slide are arranged a series of similar holes 1) under the same characters indicating players to record the number of games won by each player.

The operation of the device is as follows: Suppose player A in the first hand makes a score of eighty. He places a peg in the tenseolumn under character A horizontally opposite 80 in the scale upon the tablet. In the second hand he makes one hundred and eighty. The slide is then moved until its 0 point is opposite 80, (his last score.) as shown in Fig. 1. Opposite 180 on the slide, which is the increase of his score, is found 260 on the fixed scale, which is the sum of his last previous score and the increase. He then places the peg in the hole in his tenscolumn opposite 260. Thus it will be seen that the addition is performed mechanically and may be performed in an instant and without any mental calculation. If the score is below ten, the units-rows are used in the same manner, it being necessary to refer only to the first figures in numerals of the scale reading 20, A0, &c., as 2, A, &c.

\Vhen A has won a game, he places a peg in the A column of marker-holders on the other side of the slide opposite thefigure 1. The columns at the left of the slide are to indicate Points won, and the columns at the right of the slide are to indicate Games won.

The foregoing will illustrate the manner of scoring in such a game as pinochle, where scores are made both in units and in multiples of ten. It will be readily understood, however, that any desired series of characters may be employed in the scales to adapt the counter to games where the scoring progresses in other steps than by units or tens.

The counter is also adapted mechanically t perform subtractions in games where the players start with a given score against them and seek to reduce the same. Thus suppose each player starts with five hundred. Player A reduces his score by one hundred and forty. The slide is moved until the numeral 140 therein is opposite 500 in the fixed scale. Opposite 0 of the sliding scale will be found 360 in the fixed scale, which is the score of A after subtracting the one hundred and forty.

Horizontal lines may be drawn to the marker-holders, as shown, which are projections of the division-marks of the fixed scale and serve as visual aids for selecting the correct marker-holders opposite their appropriate division1narks.

Having now described what I believe to be the best embodiment of my invention and indicated the manner of its use, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Asa new article of manufacture a gamecounter or the like comprising a board or tablet; a slide mounted thereon; a scale upon the board or tablet adjacent to the slide having division-marks equidistant from one another, and a column ofnumerals in ascending series in multiples of ten, appropriate to said division-marks; a scale upon the slide having similar division-marks and numerals in similar series; and a column or row of markerholders parallel with the column of numerals upon the tablet; one such holder being opposite each divisionmark on the tablet and adapted to indicate tensf and a second row of marker-holders also parallel with the column of numerals upon the tablet said holders being opposite certain division-marks on the tablet and adapted to indicate units.

2. As a new article of manufacture a game counter consisting of a tablet; a slide mounted upon the tablet; a scale upon the tablet upon one side of the slide and adjacent thereto having division-marks and acolumn of numerals in ascending series, said column being arranged parallel with the slide; a column or row of marker-holders upon the same side of the slide, one such holder being opposite each division-mark on the tablet, and adapted to indicate points; a scale upon the slide having similar division-marks and a parallel column of numerals in similar series; and a column of marker-holders on the other side of the slide adapted to indicate games.

Signed by me at Boston, Massacl'iusetts, this 14th day of December, 1904c.

LOUIS F. LAN(:1r.

Witnesses:

ROBERT CUsHMAN, JOSEPH T. BRENNAN. 

